Trace-fastening



W J ESPY & D. N. TARBOX.

TRACE FASTENING. N0 318 422. Patented May 19, 1885 ZZ-Q INVENTORS.

ATTORNEYS.

NiTn STATES JOSIAH ESPY AND DAVID N. TARBOX, OF CEDARVILLE, OHIO.

TRACE-FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,422, dated May 19, 1885.

Application filed March 6, 1885.

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOSIAH EsPY and DAVID N. TARBOX, citizens of the United States, and residents of Oedarville, in the county of Greene and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trace-Clips; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accon'ipanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective view of our improved trace-clip, showing the trace in position. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the clip with the trace removed and the spring-lever opened ready for its insertion. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device, and Fig. 4 is a crosssection on line 00 x in Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Our invention has relation to devices for fastening traces upon the ends of the whiffietrees or single-trees or so-called traceclipsf? and it consists in the combination, with the end of the whiflletree, of a peculiarly-constructed spring-actuated clip or lever, substantially as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A denotes one end of a whiiiietree having our improved clip, and Bis the trace having the usual cockeye, 0. The outer end of the tree is made pointed and tapering, as shown at A, to facilitate its insertion through the cockeye, and is provided with a notch, a, to prevent the trace from slipping.

Fastened upon the tree is a bearing, D, having two cars, d d, between which is pivoted the heel E of a. lever, F, the free end of which is bent at right angles, as shown at G, and provided with a flat shoe, H, having beveled edges 71. The under side of the heel E is beveled, as shown at c, Fig. 3, and bears against a fiat steel spring, I, fastened upon the plate of the bearing D, and projecting with its free end between the ears d d, so as to exercise (No model springpressure against the under side of the pivoted heel E.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the operation of this device will readily be understood. If it is desired to attach the traces to the whiffietree, the spring-actuated lever is raised into the position shown in Fig. 2 and indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, in which position it will be held by the free end of the spring bearing against the beveled part 6 of the heel. After the trace has been placed in position the lever is sprung back to its former or closed position, with its flat shoe H bearing against the flat top of the tree. XVhen the lever is in this locked position, it is impossible for the trace to slip off, because, even if it should be drawn out of the notch or recess a, the cockeye 0 would slip over the beveled edge of the plate or shoe H upon the same, and thus, instead of having a tendency to open the latch or springlever, would, on the contrary, operate to keep the same in its closed position by holding the shoe down upon the top of the tree. At the same time, while it will thus be seen that our device absolutely prevents the accidental disengagement of the trace and the whiftletree, it will be seen that the trace may readily be attached to or detached from the whiffietree simply by manipulating the springactuated lever.

Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- The spring-actuated lever bent at right angles at its free end, and provided at the said bent end with a flat plate or shoe having beveled edges, in combination with the pointed outer end of the whiiiletree .adapted for insertion through the cockeye of the trace, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereunto affixed our signatnres in presence of two witnesses.

JOSIAH ESPY; DAVID N. TARBOX. Vitnesses:

GEO. B. CONFER, JNO. A. NEsBIT. 

